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Key Takeaways

Masturbation is completely normal and very common.

Masturbation has a number of health benefits, including better sleep, reduced stress and tension, fewer headaches, improved concentration, increased self-esteem, a more youthful appearance, and better fitness.

Masturbation only becomes excessive if it interferes with your relationships or your daily activities.

Masturbation is a normal physical function. "It's as natural as going to the bathroom or breathing air," says Susan Kellog-Spadt, PhD, director of female sexual medicine at the Center for Pelvic Medicine in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania.

And yet for some people, there's still a stigma around masturbation that's led to misinformation and numerous masturbation myths. Read on to learn what's fact and what's fiction when it comes to masturbation.

Myth #1: Excessive masturbation can lead to erectile dysfunction.

The Reality: "Erectile dysfunction does not result from masturbation," Dr. Spadt says. "What can happen with either sex is you masturbate frequently and become used to a certain touch, whether it's vibration or your own hand." Because of this, she says, "You may become habituated to that sensation and find it more difficult to have an orgasm with your partner."

Myth #2: People in relationships don't masturbate.

The Reality: "People masturbate whether they are in a relationship or single," says Justine Marie Shuey, PhD, a board-certified sexologist in Philadelphia. "Some get jealous when their partners masturbate because they feel it's cheating, or that their partner is masturbating because they aren't good enough. But it's important to understand that people have different levels of sexual desire — all are totally healthy and normal, and some involve masturbation."

Myth #3: Masturbation is not a normal part of sexual development.

The Reality:A study published in December 2011 in JAMA Pediatrics that involved more than 800 teenagers ages 14 to 17 found that 74 percent of boys, and more than 48 percent of girls, masturbate — and that's a good thing, according to Dr. Shuey. "Individuals are sexual beings from birth to death," she says. "It's totally healthy for people of all ages to masturbate."

Myth #4: There are no health benefits of masturbation.

The Reality: "Masturbation has a number of health benefits," Shuey says. "They include better sleep, reduced stress and tension, fewer headaches, improved concentration, increased self-esteem, a more youthful appearance, and better fitness." There are also a number of specific sexual health benefits for women — particularly older women — including less vaginal dryness and pain during sex.

Myth #5: You can masturbate too much.

The Reality: Masturbation only becomes too much if it serves as an escape from problems in your relationship, if it begins to affect your health, or if it turns into a substitute for real life experiences. Additionally, if masturbation causes physical soreness, emotional issues (you can't think about anything else), problems with your relationship, or habituation issues (when only the type of stimulation you engage in during masturbation will lead to an orgasm), it may be a signal to cut back, Spadt says. But very few people ever get to this point, she notes.

Myth #6: People only masturbate when they're alone.

The Reality: "Some people masturbate together, and they incorporate masturbation into their sexual repertoires," says Spadt. Some couples enjoy watching each other masturbate, and some like to masturbate themselves to orgasm after other forms of sexual contact. Mutual masturbation is also a great way to have safe sex and prevent unwanted pregnancy.

Myth #7: Children shouldn't masturbate.

The Reality: Masturbation is perfectly healthy at any age. "It may not be masturbation as we know it, but even little kids touch and explore their genitals because it feels good," says Shuey. "There are even ultrasound images where we can see masturbation occurring in utero." According to Planned Parenthood, parents should teach young children that touching their sex organs for pleasure is a normal part of sexual health, but that it should be done in private.

Myth #8: Masturbation will make you go blind.

The Reality: "Many myths about masturbation, such as this one, come from beliefs back when people believed sex was only meant for procreation," says Shuey. Because masturbation isn't for procreation, it was considered problematic. "People also believed sex could lead to insanity, tuberculosis, hairy palms, and death," she says. "Obviously, none of these things are true."

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